This invention relates to an electric connector having lock means, and more particularly locking structure for connector.
In connecting circuits of electronic devices with each other, for example, a receptacle connector connected with one circuit is fixed to a panel of a device, and a plug connector connected with the other circuit is then inserted into the receptacle connector to complete the connection of the two circuits. In this case, it is required to prevent the plug connector from being removed to open the connection due to tensile forces acting upon a cable connected to the plug connector. For this purpose, for example, locking members 1 each consisting of a loop lock portion 1a, support legs 1b and mounting legs 1c are secured reciprocatively movable in directions shown by an arrow to mounting lugs 3 on both sides of a receptacle connector 2 as shown in FIG. 1a, while locking ears 5 each including a holding aperture 5b having insert slot 5a are provided on both ends of a plug connector 4 as shown in FIG. 1b. After connection of the receptacle connector 2 and the plug connector 4, the locking members 1 are pushed into the holding apertures 5b so as to urge the support legs 1b toward each other to complete the locking of the connector.
In this case, journal portions 6a of a support plate 6 are formed so as to surround the mounting legs 1c of the locking member as shown in FIG. 1a. The journal portions 6a are formed with V-shaped recesses 6b, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b. The mounting legs 1c tending to expand away from each other are fitted in the recesses 6b to maintain the locking position of the locking member with the aid of the resilience of the locking member 1. Moreover, in order to avoid decreasing the number of the connectors due to increase in height of the connectors in packages for shipment, the support legs 1b are turned to horizontal positions so as to assume at edges 6c of the journal portions 6a other than the V-shaped recesses 6b, so that the locking members 1 are kept in the horizontal position with the aid of the spring forces of the support legs 1b tending to expand away from each other.
In the prior art, however, the following method has been employed in order to rotatably secure the mouning legs 1c of the locking member 1 into both the lugs 3. As shown in FIG. 3 (refer to FIG. 1a), a support plate 6 having journal portions 6a is formed with a mounting aperture 6d and positioning jaws 6e formed by bending two corners of the plate. The support plates 6 are fixed to the mounting lugs 3 of the receptacle 2 by means of plugs 8 together with mounting ears 7a of a metal shield 7 covering parts 2a of the receptacle connector 2.
With this arrangement, the number of parts of this connector is increased to make difficult the manufacturing and assembling thereof. In order to ensure the complete locking, moreover, the mounting legs 1c of the locking members 1 must be supported by the journal portions 6a so as not to twist the mounting legs 1c and at the same time, the locking members 1 must be kept perpendicular to the support plates 6 by means of the V-shaped recesses 6b. For these purposes, it is needed to form centers of the journal portions 6a cylindrically rolled, and the V-shaped recesses 6b being aligned with each other. At the same time, moreover, it is necessary to roll the journal portions 6a so as to locate the V-shaped recesses 6b at the uppermost positions of the journal portions 6a. The above facts make difficult the manufacturing of the connector and increase the manufacturing cost in conjunction with the increased number of the parts.